CORE
by InVerbisVerum
Summary: A time travel from the future comes to join the team. He is the Central Organism Research/Exploration. Canon pairings,Oneshots, more stuff. takes place in 2012.
1. Chapter 1

Connor was relaxing with M'gann in the living room watching one of the episodes of "Hello Megan." She had fallen asleep fifteen minutes ago, and he was just glad to let her sleep leaned against his chest. Things had been looking up, he and Superman finally were talking, everyone had their secrets out in the open, and today Zatanna was on a date with Robin, so he had M'gann all too himself. He heard her giggle and looked down to see Wolf licking her hand. She opened awoke and started petting Wolf, then looked up at Connor and kissed him. "Morning." He smiled as they broke apart. She smiled back and kissed his cheek, "It's hasn't been morning for an hour." ^Recognized: Robin. Recognized: Zatanna.^ M'gann rose into the air over Connor as she flew to meet their friends. "Welcome back!" Zatanna smiled and hugged the Martian as Superboy walked in and clasped hands with the Boy Wonder as the girls walked off. "So how'd it go?" Robin smiled, "Not bad, thanks. Hey, what d'you think I should do for the next date, shopping, dinner and a movie is getting kinda old." "Wow, you really must be out of ideas to ask me" Connor teased. Robin chuckled nervously, "Yeah, couldn't go to Wally, he's having the same problem." "You'll figure something out."

The boys looked up as they heard the girls scream, then race over to them. M'gann and Zatanna were crouched over a boy slightly shorter than Conner, Caucasian with light brown hair. He was screaming and contorting in pain through clenched teeth. M'gann was holding his still and Zatanna was looking over him, casting spells to relieve his pain. "What happened?" Connor demanded urgently, moving to M'gann's side as Robin moved to Zatanna's. "I-I don't know he just…appeared." M'gann replied. "What d'you mean 'appeared'?" Robin asked as he helped Connor and M'gann hold down they boy. "Gggg…eeettt." "He's talking!" Zatanna cried out. "Mmmmeee…oouuu…ttssssiiddee...nnnnooww!" Superboy lifted the boy in his arms and ran outside as the boy's muscles spasmed from the effort of speaking. Connor set the boy down when he was outside the cave, "What now? What do you need?" "Gggee…tt…aaw…waayy." Connor's face twisted in confusion, "Get awa-" Connor's reply was cut short as he was thrown against the mountain by a concussive force that exploded from the boy with screams of anguish as the boy rose to his feet, energy aggressively rippling out from him. After a few seconds the energy faded and the boy fell to his knees in exhaustion. Superboy was at his side in seconds, followed by the others who had just come from the cave. "Are you alright?" Zatanna asked concernedly. The boy smiled, "I think so, I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but I think I'm going to pass put now." he fell forward unconscious as Robin caught him. They carried him back inside to the medbay, casting concerned glances to each other about the boy, and how he got in the cave in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

Batman stood in the medbay looking over the boy Robin had informed him about an hour ago. The rest of the Young Justice team had been informed of the events by either Robin, Connor, M'gann, or Zatanna. The scenario was not one Batman was comfortable with, the boy shouldn't have been able to get into the mountain in the first place, the fact he was still here and injured bothered the Dark Knight further. Batman turned as the boy moaned and opened his eyes, "Awake?" he asked, voice graveled as always. The boy sat up, wincing at slight pain, "I'm just happy I'm alive." "Who are you?" The Gothamite demanded. "Wouldn't expect less from the legendary Batman. I'm C.O.R.E., Central Organism Research/Exploration, I'm from 31st century Earth, and I'm a time traveler, obviously." He grinned, "Believe me?" Batman stared at him, "Yes." CORE almost reeled in surprise, "Oh…why-" "It explains why the nanites in your blood are more advanced than anything we've some across. Speaking of which, why are they in your blood?" "I was grown through DNA sequencing and nanite formation over a year. Technically I'm not human." Batman and CORE paused as the Dark Knight looked the psuedohuman over. "Why the 21st century?" The boy's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Well, you. You and the Justice League. You're an inspiration to the youth of my time, namely the-" "-Legion of SuperHeroes, Superman informed me of them." "Yeah, they're friends of mine." The boy said, and tossed a ring over to the Bat. It was a Legionnaire ring. "Hey, what year is it and where I am? The calculations for this gave me a twenty-year window for accuracy." "It's 2012, you're in Mt. Justice." CORE's expression turned to one of awe, "So the guys who helped me, they were part of the original Young Justice program? And I'm talking to the original Batman?" "Yes. The culture shock should be setting in now, it'll pass." "Can I meet them?"

Robin looked up along with Zatanna, Conner, and M'gann when Batman exited the medbay, they were surprised to see the boy they had helped walking with him. An awkward silence fell over the room as the kid walked over to them. M'gann was the first to speak, "Hello, I'm Megan, this is Connor, Robin, and Zatanna." The boy smiled sheepishly, "I'm CORE, it's an honor to meet you all." "Honor?" Zatanna inquired. "He's from the 31st century." Batman stated. The others looked at Core, "Ah." Robin commented. Core smiled a little more, "Yeah, you guys are legends from where I'm from, uh, am I not supposed to know who Di…who Robin is?" he stammered. "Yes." Batman flatly stated, "I want you to remain here until I confirm your story." With that the Dark Knight left. Connor looked over to Core, "So, they have cookies in the 31st century?"


	3. Chapter 3

After a few snacks and a joke or two, Core and the others had moved to the lounge.

Robin looked over to Core, "So what's the 31st century like?"

Core smiled, "Don't really know actually. I've lived in iso my whole life."

M'gann's face twisted in confusion,"Iso?"

"Isolation. How did the corporation put it? 'Conditioned in a stable environment to increase productivity and moral function.' That was it."

Superboy looked over to Core, "Conditioned? Like brainwashing?"

Core winced, "Well, yes and no. I wasn't really…born. I'm a product made on a virtual assembly line, that's why I'm called Core, Central Organism for Research Exploration. I was built with DNA sequencing and nanites…I was made to be an archaeologist."

After the shock of Core's origin settled in, Zatanna spoke, "Why did you leave?"

Core looked down in nervousness, and raised his head after a long breath, "Because I'm defective." He spat out the last word. "The DNA used for my sequencing had latent genes that were activated by the nanites, they found out I had superpowers…so they were going to take the stars away from me…I couldn't live with that."

"Powers?" Core looked to Robin, "Yeah, I can bend reality."

The other teens looked over at each other, "Sorry, what?" Connor asked.

Core beamed, "I'll show you." He flipped off the back of the couch as a soda and straw from the kitchen flew to his hand as he floated in midair, "I warp time and space. I can make gravity vanish," He gave an example of this by making some soda float out of the can in a fluctuating sphere, then drank it with the straw, "That's how I got here, I knew the location of Happy Harbor from the history books, missed the town and by sheer luck landed here!"

At that moment Wally sped into the room. "He guys, where's the new-woah!" Wally flailed as he ran headfirst into Core's floating figure, sending both of them careening. Kaldur, Raquel, and Artemis all ran into the room, their movement hastened by the sound of the crash. Artemis laughed at the sight of skid marks leading to Wally and Core in a heap on the floor, "Nice job Baywatch, you look like a cartoon!"

"Hey!" She gave Wally a hand up as well as Core, "Hi, I'm Artemis, this is Wally, those two are Kaldur and Raquel."

Core smiled again, causing Connor to think that grin was engineered to never leave his face, then to wince at his thought of their similarities.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Core." Kaldur stepped forward and shook his hand, "Will you be joining the team, Core?"

Core scratched his head sheepishly, "I don't know, I'm not sure if Batman would let me."

"Anyone going to fill us in?" Raquel asked.

"Yes," Batman said, appearing from nowhere behind Raquel, causing her to jump. "Core will be joining the Young Justice program for a probationary period until his situation has been fully considered. He will be staying here with Connor, M'gann, and Zatanna." The Dark Knight walked off, as Raquel turned to the team, "Does he have to do that?" she asked for the fortieth time.

"YES!" The team answered her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Kaldur, Raquel, KF, and Artemis have been filled in on CORE's Origin story, this takes place two months later. Introducing another OC. Get over it, my story not yours. Constructive criticism appreciated.**

Core smiled as he ran and glided over the rooftops of Gotham. There was just something about the wind lifting you up that he never lost enjoyment of. He heard Robin ahead of him pursuing the girl they were chasing. Apparently she had stolen from 12 museums in the state alone, only leaving a calling card, a nightingale card. Robin had set a trap for her with the help of the team. The others they had left behind long ago, speed was needed and Wally could only follow them on the ground.

He saw Robin fighting the girl, her long red-amber hair pulled out behind a full mask connected to a full black bodysuit. She was holding her own against Robin, so she was skilled. Core landed gracefully, rolling across the roof and right into engagement as she knocked Robin away. Her movements were strong and rigid, while Core moved like water around a rock, only blocking, not attacking.

"Who are you?" he asked in admiration, cracking a smile. She replied with a strike that connected squarely with Core's armor, knocking him back a step, "No-one of consequence."

His smile widened, "Nice to meet you no-one of consequence," he grabs the fist flung at him, using the momentum to spin his combatant past him, lightly tapping her head as she passes, "I'm annoying."

She turns back to him, a flurry of aerial kicks, spins, and blurs. He smiles as he blocks and weaves through the mess of fist and foot.

"I really like the style you're using, wushu and krav maga with a hint of wutang, impressive." He clasps both of her fists and locks his forelef behind hers, trapping her standing, "could you teach me?"

She glares at him as his grin intensifies, "Are you flirting with me hero-boy?" "Depends…" he unlocks her and sweeps her legs, causing her to fall. She stares at him from the ground, "…on if it's working."

They pause and she chuckles, he saw the smile in her eyes, "You know how to show a girl an interesting time." She flipped to the edge of the roof, "But I'll have to decline the offer of a date at the police office." She fell backwards and Core rushed to catch her, only to see her land lightly on her feet, then disappear into the night, but only after blowing a kiss at him.

He smiled as he watched her go, only interrupted by Kid Flash arriving from the stairwell and rushing over to Robin, followed shortly by Core. "You OK Rob?" KF asked his friend. "Yeah, who was she?" Robin asked. "Not anyone I've gone up against."

Core smiled at them, "Then I call dibbs." They both stared at him like he had tulips growing from his ears.

Core looked over at Connor, watching his movement so he could see the coming attack. They were practicing one-on-one in the ring, a practice that had become ritualistic for them. After Connor opened up about his origins to Core, the two had almost become brothers.

Core started talking as Connor charged him, ducking under a wild punch, "I've been meaning to ask you," his fist connected below Connor's ribcage, "how did you ask M'gann out on you guys' first date?" Connor smiled a little as he backed away from Core, "Why?" he asked as he inched closer to Core, preparing a more cautious attack, "No reason really, just wondering." He dodged Connor's jab to his face, only to be rewarded to a hick to the sternum.

"Just wondering?" Connor asked smiling as Core stumbled backwards, fine because of his power, but still hurting. That was one of the advantages of their fights, they couldn't really harm one another.

"Now that you mention it, I was thinking of asking someone I know out." "A girl right?" Connor teased. Core gasped and fell to one knee, starting to hyperventilate. Connor moved towards him, concerned that he had injured his friend, but fell hard on his back as Core uppercut him.

He looked up to see Core hovering over him, "Yeah, a girl." He helped Connor get back up, "Only advise I have; don't lie and dumb luck." Core smiled, "I think I can do that."

It was three weeks until Core saw Nightingale again, he was solo this time. She was just leaving Lexcorp with an unsightly amount of cash crammed in a duffel bag. He followed her across the rooftops, bending reality around him to become invisible and silent, gliding behind her.

She eventually entered an abandoned complex in the Gotham slums. He watched her, perched on the window she entered from. She took off her mask and tossed the duffel bag to the side, he smiled and removed his camouflage, "Nice place you got here."

She jumped in surprise, then glared at him, "Do you always watch girls in their rooms?"

"I could've waited until you undressed." He pointed out. Her expression soured as she realized he was right.

"Why the hell are you here? Were you going to preach about how I should turn from my ways and stand for all that's good and pure? Justice, freedom, apple pie…all that jazz?"

He smiled at her exaggeration. "No, but if you have any apple pie, I'm kinda hungry." She laughed at his reply as he entered the room from the window, then stopped as she noticed he was looking at her, "What?"

"You have a beautiful laugh." She blushed, and turned slightly away, "Why are you here again?"

"I've been thinking about that kiss you blew me when we met."

"It wasn't a kiss."

"Looked like one. Anyway, I was going to ask you out."

"Oh." An awkward silence fell over them until she spoke, "So…pizza right?"

He smiled, "Yeah, I could do pizza."


	5. Chapter 5

Robin looked over to Zatanna, this was the anniversary of their first date. He smiled as she caught him staring, "What?"

He slung his arm around her shoulder, "Just feeling the aster."

She grinned at his butcher of the English language as he pulled her closer to himself. The bus they were on slowed to a halt as they got off near the pizzeria they had decided to go to.

Core looked around as the waiter took their menus after the order. Robin had told him about this place a month after he joined the Team, and he figured it'd be a great place for a great date, considering that he'd been told pizza was a customary food in the 21st century for friendly gatherings and dating.

Nightingale looked at his from across the table, not glancing of as he returned her stare. "So," she started, "what should I call you?"

"Core."

She gave him a look of confusion and disbelief, "Core? What is that, your codename?"

"Yeah, my actual name too as it happens. And what do I call you?"

She laughed, "Not very secretive about names are you?"

"You're avoiding the question."

She looked at him, "Surprised you caught that. Let's settle with Nightingale for now." She paused, "Your name is seriously Core? How'd you get a name like that?"

He looked to the side sheepishly, then back to her, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me…"

It took him a moment to realize it was a challenge and grinned, "Okay, I'm a genetics experiment from the 31st century built from DNA sequencing and nanites. I was designed to be a space archaeologist and given the designation CORE, short for Central Organism Research Exploration."

Her expression was priceless as he leaned back and took in her disbelief, "Told you you wouldn't believe me."

She tried to form a response but the words failed to form themselves in her mouth. Their order arrived just as she thought she had re-composed herself, "Okay then…that's…that's really just…"

He smiled at her and bit off a piece of pizza from his slice, not taking his eyes off her. That little tease brought the rest of her mind back into place, "Okay, prove it."

He smiled, "Thought you'd never ask." He rolled back his sleeve, and traced one of the veins in his arm with his index finger, talking as he did so, "They were going to scratch me when they found out about my powers, and that I'd developed a personality-"

"So you're not…designed to do what-whatever it was you did-do. I mean on the rooftops." She cut him off.

He looked up and smiled at her as he pointed to his arm, "No, I'm unique." She looked down and gasped, then grabbed his arm and jerked it closer to her (pulling him closer across the table also). The vein he had traced with his finger had grown transparent, showing little robots swarming inside his blood.

"Can I have my arm back?"

She let go as he pulled back his arm and stared at him…taking a moment to comprehend what she'd seen. She looked up at him a moment later, smiling sarcastically, "So…you weren't supposed to be this happy all the time?" He laughed as she started on her own pizza, both of them chuckling with the other.

Robin and Zatanna took their seats, Robin signaling to one of the waiters they were ready. The waiter walked over and smiled at the two, "Back again?"

Robin smiled, "Yeah Ben, thanks for holding out some seats for us." Ben smiled, "Hey, anything for the regulars. So the usual?" "That sounds fine, thanks Ben." Zatanna responded. Ben smiled and walked to the kitchen.

Robin looked at Zatanna and noticed she was staring towards another booth. "Zee? What's wrong?" "Isn't that the thief?" Robin looked over his shoulder, "I think you're right, who's that with her?"

"It looks like..." recognition dawned over them as Core stood from beside the thief and moved towards the restroom. Zatanna and Robin looked at one another and spoke at once, "I'll talk to Core-" "-while I watch thief girl? Why do I have to stay behind?" Robin glanced at his girlfriend, "Because Core went to the men's room. You still want to follow him?"

Robin waited for Core in a side hallway next to the men's room. It took Core a second to realize it was his teammate, "Robin? What are you doing here!" he asked friendly as they bro-hugged. Robin pushed up his sunglasses as they had slightly slid down, "I'm on a date with Zatanna. Core, did I see you with the Nightingale thief a minute ago?" Core's smile dropped through the floor, "Uh…"

"I'll take that as a yes. What the hell are you doing! If you're taking her in you should call in the othe-"

"I'm not taking her in. I'm on a date. With her."

Robin looked at Core, "Figures…thanks for coming clean."

Core could hear the sarcasm in Robin's voice, "I did call dibs." He said anxiously, Robin's demeanor remained Batman-esque. "So what? You're going to date a criminal? A criminal who the team is trying to catch?"

"If I remember correctly it wasn't a team assignment, and you called in for help."

Robin looked away, angered that Core was right, "Robin, look, it's not like I'm going to help her steal from anyone, I'm just asking on a date! It's worked for Bru-Batman and Catwoman."

Core caught himself when Robin glared at him, "Thought you said those 31st century history books didn't know who Batman was."

Core looked down and smiled weakly, "Only theories, and you look a lot like Richard Grayson when he was young, Batman's the same build as Bruce Wayne, wasn't hard to connect the dots."

Dick glared a couple more moments, then chuckled and momentarily glanced away, "Those books say anything about me and a certain magician?"

Core exhaled in relief, grateful Robin hadn't hospitalized him, "You really want to know?"

Dick looked shocked, "I was joking, Core…I don't think I could really…" Core smiled as Robin now took his turn nervously looking away, then turned and walked away mumbling over his shoulder.

"Good luck on your date."


	6. Chapter 6

**THIS NEXT CHAPTER TAKES PLACE A FEW MONTHS LATER, ONLY ROBIN AND ZATANNA KNOW ABOUT CORE AND NIGHTINGALE.**

Wally looked around the park, _dammit._ His thoughts were just scattered lately, running around faster than he could ever run. It'd been a long time since he was this confused about what he should do. He was 19 for Christ's sakes, he'd been going steady with Artemis for two years already, well, almost two years. Their anniversary would be in two months. Two months!

"Hey Baywatch," he looked up to see his spitfire's face, "you look a little down, what's up?" She sat next to him on the bench he was on.

"Just thinking Babe."

She punched him in the arm playfully, "If it was about any of those girls that just passed by I'm shooting you with a boxing arrow."

He grinned, quickly pulling her closer from her waist. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, "Hey Arty?"

"Told you not to call me that." She grumbled for the umpteenth time (almost joking about it now).

"It's been a great couple years."

She looked up at him from his shoulder and leaned in to kiss him,

"Damn straight, Baywatch."

After Wally dropped Artemis back off at her mother's place, he walked the mile or so to the Zeta tubes. When he realized he was walking it shocked him, _Wow, this must really be getting to me…haven't gone anywhere this slow since…since before I became Kid Flash._

^Recognized: Kid Flash B03^

He headed straight for the kitchen and looked into the fridge, _Wow, nothing looks good, I really am rattled._

"Don't forget to leave some food for the rest of us." Wally closed the fridge at Connor's comment, "Not hungry."

Connor's spittake was of epic proportions, super-breath does that. Wally looked down at himself, his clothes mildly soaked from Connor's beverage.

"Sorry, what!"

The junior speedster chuckled and shrugged, "Just not hungry."

His friend came over and put his hand on Wally's shoulder, "You feeling alright?"

"Fine, but I might puke any second."

Superboy gave Wally his signature glare, "So this is about Artemis?"

"That's not funny."

"So it's about Artemis?"

"…"

"Yeah, definitely Artemis."

Superboy tossed Wally one of the dishtowels and the speedster dried himself off. "So what exactly is going on?"

Wally sighed and reached into his pocket and took out a little box. "I've been thinking about this a lot, and…I'm thinking about asking Artemis to marry me."

(Awkward pause as Core walks in and gets a drink)

"Hey guys, what's new?"

"Wally's thinking of popping the question to Artemis."

Core's spit-take was almost as extraordinary as Connor's.

"Sorry what?"

Wally flipped open the box and showed them the ring, it was silver with an emerald set in the middle.

"Now where did you get this?" Core took the box from Wally's hand.

"Made it," Core and Connor looked at him, "The emerald is beach glass I found and fused, the silver is from old computers and lab equipment, had to purify it, came out looking pretty nice though. So, what do you guys think I should do?"

Core looked at him as he handed the ring to Connor. "Wally, you're asking us if you should or shouldn't ask Artemis to marry you?"

"Yeah," "You're asking us if you should marry Artemis and you already have a ring for her?"

"Yeah…"

"You're asking us if you should marry the girl you've been dating for what, three years? When you _made _the ring that you'd propose to her with, not bought but _made?_"

Connor closed the box and tossed it over to Wally, "Core's right. Sounds like you've already made up your mind."

Wally looded at the box and smiled, "Thanks guys."

The junior speedster rushed off, leaving a gust of wind to brush against the two powered friends.

"Hey Connor,"

"What?"

"Twenty bucks says he gets rejected."

"Deal."

**PLEASE REVIEW**

**SPITFIRE APPEARANCE IS FOR **randommonkeyz998

**IT WILL SHOW UP AGAIN**


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